Improved washing-machine



NPETERS. FNDTO-UTNOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

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JOSEPH B. WILSON, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

"Letters Patent No. 96,068, dated October 19, 1869.

IMPROVED WASHING-MAGHINE The Schedule :referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the-saine.

I, JOSEPH Il. IVILSON, of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphiz't, State of Pennsylvania, have invented au Improved "ztslling-ll/Iachine, 0f which the following is a specification.

Nature and Object of the Invention.

My invention consists of a horizontal revolving wash-tub, combined with reciprocating beaters, and with certain devices which impart the required movements to the tub and beaters; also, of certain improvements-in parts of the machine, whereby it is rendered more etlicient in its operation, all ofV which is f`ully described hereafter.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure l is a vertical section'of my improved washing-machine.

Figure 2, a transverse vertical section.

Figure 3, a plan view.

Figure 4, a sectional Iplan on the line 1-2, iig. 1.

Figure 5an enlarged view of the lower end of one of the beaters.

General Description.

To a horizontal board or platform, A, supported on suitable legs a a, are secured the posts B `and B', connected together by the cross-bar D and board D', the wholeconstituting the stationary frameof the machine.

E is the driving-shaft, turning in suitable bearings on the opposite posts, B and B', and on this shaft are arms or projections, d, for actuating the beaters F, in the manner described hereafter. y

On one end of the shaft is a suitable handle, e, and

on the opposite end a bevelled pinion, f, gearing into.

a bevel-wheel, h., on a vertical shaft, G, which turns below in the platform A, and above in a projection on the frame'. p V

The shaft G is provided with a pulley, i, round which and round the the wash-tub H, 0r round a pulley attached to the same, passes a driviug-b'and, j, a Central pin, 7.-., projecting from the bottom of the tub through the platform A, so that the said tub can revolve freely.

Each of the beaters F, above referred to, consists of a bar, arranged to slide freely in the oros s-bar D and board D of the frame, each bar being enlarged at the lower end m, and this enlargement is rounded on the under side, as shown in iig. 2.

I prefer to arm the lower` ends of the beaters with strips, a, ot' gum-elastic, and also to screw to the bottoin ofthe tub a sheet, y, of the same material, so as to prevent the possibility of anyiujury occurring to the clothes.

A pin, q, projects from each beater, and is within range of one ofthe arms d of the shaft E, so that on turning the shaft, the arm strikes the' pin, elevates the beater, and, leaving the. pin, permits the beater to fall by its own weight. The arms, however,a.re so arranged on the shaft that the whole of the beaters are not raised and permitted to 'fall simultaneously, but in succession.

The board D', above referred to, forms apart of the cover for the tub, as shown in fig. 2, 4the other portion, D,.of 'the cover being hinged to the board D', so that easy access may be had to the interior ot the tub, after elevating the said portion D of the cover, the lat-ter being situated so near. toI the edgey of the tub as to prevent the splashing of the contents, but not too near to interfere with the free rot-ation of the same.

The tub having received the clothes to be washed, together with a suitable supplyof water and soapsuds, the operator turns the handle e, and consequently operates the beaters, and at the same time turns the wash-tub, which may, by a proper proportioning of the bevel-wheels vand pulley fi, be so regulated, in respect to themovemeut of the beaters, that the lower ends ofthe latter will never strike the clothes at precisely the same place.

It will be seen that the enlarged ends of the beaters extend collectively eutirely'across the bottom of the tub, the space between the enlargements of the several beaters being sutiicient only to permit them to clear each other. N o portion of the clothes, therefore, is free from the blows of the beaters, if tlie operation of the machine be continued a short time.

A portion or portions of the clothes may certainly escape the action of a beater or beaters during one \revolntionfof the tub. The portion' thus escaping, however, will be elevated by the action of adjacent beaters, and the elevated portions will eventually be subjected to the action of one or morebeaters, as the movement of the same and the tub is continued.

The consequence of all thisV is, that the water-is forced through the interstices of the fabrics, and the latter thoroughly cleansed by beating action, and not by that lrubbing'and triturating effect, which is such a serious objection to ordinary washing-machines.

The beaters may be made entirely of wood, and

may, if necessary, be weighted or depressed by suitable springs, but, for ordinary purposes, plain wooden beaters will suffice to produce the desired effect.

2. The combination, withthe tub and. beaters, of

a strip of elastic material, substantially as specified.

Intcstimony whereof', I have signed'my name to this specification, in the presence of two. subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH.'v B. WILSON. Witnesses:

JOHN WHITE,

HARRY SMITH. 

